Disappeared

Scarlet's brow furrowed as she saw Melissa's face fall. "Is everything alright? Did something happen to your...?" her voice trailed off, unsure how to finish the question.

Disbelief etched itself onto Melissa's face. "My shirt," she stammered, her voice barely a whisper. "It was supposed to be here... but it's gone!"

"Let's split up," Scarlet said, her voice calm despite the situation. "You check under the leaves near the trunk, I'll look further out." They both set to work, their movements quick and efficient.

Despite their frantic search, the ground yielded nothing. Melissa scoured near the base of the tree, her fingers digging through damp leaves and soil. Scarlet's eyes darted across the surrounding area, searching for any sign of the missing garment. Frustration etched itself onto both their faces as they met each other's gaze, a silent confirmation of their failure.

Melissa stared at the empty space, her voice laced with disbelief. "There's no way. I tucked my shirt away in this exact spot," she insisted, her eyes scanning the area again.

Scarlet's brow furrowed in thought. "Maybe a curious critter got hold of it," she suggested. "Animals love snatching random things sometimes."

Their search proving fruitless, a heavy silence settled between the girls. With a shared look of frustration, they abandoned their quest near the tree. The vending machine, Melissa's next gamble on retrieving a missing item, beckoned them towards the edge of the small forest. Resolved to keep searching, they set off, their footsteps crunching on the gravel path.

A knot of worry tightened in Melissa's stomach as she neared the vending machine. She crouched down, her heart sinking with each passing second. Her fingers brushed against nothing but dust as she explored the hidden space. "This can't be good," she muttered, her voice laced with fear.

"No way!" Melissa exclaimed, her voice filled with disbelief. "This can't be happening! It's gone too, completely vanished!" She ran a hand through her hair, frustration etched on her face.

"Hey, hey, it's okay," Scarlet said gently, placing a reassuring hand on Melissa's shoulder. "We'll figure something out. Freaking out won't help."

"This is strange," Scarlet muttered, her brow furrowed in thought. "Maybe someone stumbled upon your hiding spots and decided to... borrow your things."

Determined not to be deterred, the girls continued their trek towards the fourth floor. Even though Melissa knew her chances of retrieving a specific item were slim, they wouldn't give up without checking every hiding spot.

Suddenly, a figure emerged from a shadowed corner not far behind where the girls had just been. In their hands, the person clutched a bundle of fabric - a shirt, a skirt, and a flash of black that could have been a bra. A smile, more unsettling than friendly, played on their lips as they followed the path the two girls had taken.

The fourth-floor classroom offered no solace. As Melissa surveyed the room, a wave of worry replaced her initial determination. Could someone have discovered her carefully chosen hiding spot?

Scarlet, sensing Melissa's need for a moment to process the situation, offered her a silent understanding. Placing her own clothes on a desk, she quietly slipped out of the classroom, leaving Melissa alone with her thoughts.

Scarlet placed a hand on Melissa's shoulder in a gesture of silent support. "Hey," she said softly, "why don't I go take a quick look around the hallway? Maybe there's something else we missed."

“Keep my clothes, okay? Don’t take them away.”, Scarlet joked.

“ Will not”, Melissa said.

Desolation settled over Melissa as she stared out the classroom window. Her carefully crafted escape plan was unraveling, leaving them stranded and exposed. The thought of wearing Scarlet's clothes added another layer of discomfort. Suddenly, a voice jolted her from her thoughts. It came from the hallway, a new presence approaching the classroom door.